The invention relates to an optical infrared receiver-transmitter for a directed bi-directional optical data transmission where in a single-part or multi-part housing the following are arranged as components: an emitter chip for transmitting IR beams, a detector chip for receiving IR beams, an integrated circuit for amplifying the transmission and reception power, as well as an optical system complete with an optical axis for focusing the transmitted and received beams.
Such an arrangement, also designated as a transceiver, is used for data transmission in IrDA applications. For data transmission by means of an optical point-to-point transmission route, the IrDA (Infrared Data Association) standard has been developed. For example, integrated transceiver components known by the designation TFDS 3000 or TFDS 6000 are available from TEMIC TELEFUNKEN microelectronic GmbH, which components correspond to the IrDA standard.
According to the state of the art, in a common transceiver housing there are arranged an infrared transmitter (emitter), an infrared receiver (detector), and an integrated circuit for signal processing. A surface of the transceiver component holds two lens-shaped moldings located adjacent to each other, in whose focal points a transmitter and a receiver are respectively located. These optical systems are necessary in order to achieve the directional signal emission of the transmitter and the directional sensitivity of the receiver required by the IrDA standard.
Such transceivers have the disadvantage that due to the transmitter and the receiver being located adjacent to each other, they each require their own respective optical system in order to be able to achieve the required directional signal transmission of the transmitter and the directional sensitivity of the receiver. This causes very high material costs, and the dimensions of the transceiver component will be relatively large.